Shloka 54

Devanagari script

सर्वघाति मया मुक्तमस्त्रं परमदारुणम्‌ | केनेमौ मर्त्यधर्माणौ नावधीत्‌ केशवार्जुनौ

Transliteration

sarvaghāti mayā muktam astraṁ paramadāruṇam | kenemau martyadharmāṇau nāvadhīt keśavārjunau

Translation

ସଞ୍ଜୟ କହିଲେ—ମୁଁ ସର୍ବଘାତୀ, ପରମ ଦାରୁଣ ଅସ୍ତ୍ର ମୁକ୍ତ କରିଥିଲି। ତଥାପି ମର୍ତ୍ୟଧର୍ମା ହୋଇଥିବା କେଶବ ଓ ଅର୍ଜୁନ—ଏହି ଦୁଇଜଣଙ୍କୁ ଏହା କାହିଁକି ବଧ କଲା ନାହିଁ?

Word by Word

• सर्वघाति: all-destroying
• सर्वघाति: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्वघातिन्
• Form: Neuter, Nominative, Singular

• मया: by me
• मया: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद्
• Form: —, Instrumental, Singular

• मुक्तम्: released, discharged
• मुक्तम्: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: मुच्
• Form: Neuter, Nominative, Singular

• अस्त्रम्: weapon (missile)
• अस्त्रम्: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्त्र
• Form: Neuter, Nominative, Singular

• परमदारुणम्: most dreadful
• परमदारुणम्: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: परमदारुण
• Form: Neuter, Nominative, Singular

• केन: by whom? with what?
• केन: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: किम्
• Form: —, Instrumental, Singular

• इमौ: these two
• इमौ: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: इदम्
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Dual

• मर्त्यधर्माणौ: subject to mortal law (mortal in nature)
• मर्त्यधर्माणौ: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मर्त्यधर्म
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Dual

• न: not
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न

• अवधीत्: killed, slew
• Type: Verb
• Root: वध्
• Form: Aorist (Luṅ), 3rd, Singular, Parasmaipada

• केशव: Keshava (Krishna)
• केशव: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: केशव
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• अर्जुनौ: Arjuna (the two: Krishna and Arjuna)
• अर्जुनौ: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: अर्जुन
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Dual

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sañjaya
• Keśava (Kṛṣṇa)
• Arjuna
• astra (divine weapon)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Even the most devastating humanly-deployed force (astra) does not operate as an absolute; outcomes are bounded by dharma, destiny, and—here especially—the extraordinary protection surrounding Kṛṣṇa and Arjuna. The verse highlights the ethical and metaphysical limits of violence: power alone does not guarantee rightful or final results.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya reports that a terrifying, all-destroying weapon was released, yet Kṛṣṇa (Keśava) and Arjuna survived. He expresses astonishment and implicitly points to their exceptional status and protection amid the catastrophic warfare of the Droṇa Parva.